October 28th, 2019, 03:27 PM | #1 |
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Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
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Charging system problem?
I installed my new aftermarket speedo cluster and it works great however shortly after starting the engine the screen goes completely blank (but still backlit). If I turn off the ignition and switch it back on, the cluster comes back to life. Yesterday I decided to check it out.
Wiring is all good with solid solder/shrink-wrap connections. I tested the voltage to the unit and it was only getting 11.56v w/engine off and 10.94v w/engine on. I disconnected the headlight (dual h4 35w headlights) and the power went to 13.28v at idle. Could it be the dual headlight is drawing too much voltage from the charging system? (I have no other accessory/gizmos hooked up.) I relayed the problem to the manufacturer and they agree it's a symptom of insufficient voltage to the unit. Also, my battery measured 12.74v at idle WITH the headlights and 13.70v withOUT them. I ran the bike at idle for a few minutes and when I turned off the ignition my battery measured 13.30v. 5 minutes later it was at 12.84v and 24 hours later it's at 12.65v. All these battery numbers are telling me the battery is good but either the stator is not keeping up or the headlights are truly sucking up too much juice. I don't suspect a rectifier problem. Does this make sense? If so, what's the best way to measure the voltage coming out of the stator?
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October 28th, 2019, 04:55 PM | #2 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Sergey
Location: Ontario, GTA
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How old is the battery?
Did you try to boost it from a car and see if you observe the same behaviour? Dis you try to charge it with a charger? I find 4-5 year old batteries start doing funky stuff so I just replace them when they are that old. 35W light would draw 3amps which is quite a lot fpr a small 6ah battery. You will notice it |
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October 28th, 2019, 05:58 PM | #3 |
EX500 full of EX250 parts
Name: Bill
Location: Grand Rapids-ish, MI
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You may want to look into a MOSFET R/R upgrade while you're at it. Due to the design differences, they're more efficient, which translates into higher output at idle, steadier output through the whole range, and less waste heat produced (which in turn means more life out of the R/R). The stocker can fail open or closed - one way just doesn't generate enough power, the other way puts out too much and fries your battery.
Most of the Shindengen MOSFET R/Rs have (fairly expensive) Furukawa connectors. You can replace the stock harness connector, buy a PnP adapter, or rig it up with generic female terminals (losing its waterproof seal in the process). Or the FH016 R/R off the '07-'08 ZX6R has wire pigtails instead, so can install any plug you want (e.g. the OEM Ninjette connector).
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October 28th, 2019, 06:28 PM | #4 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
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Quote:
The battery is 13 months old.
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October 28th, 2019, 07:22 PM | #5 | |
ninjette.org member
Name: Sergey
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Quote:
If you see bulbs flickering then it's an indication the voltage fluctuates. The bulbs in general do not care , you just see it as a flicker, with higher RPMs and thus the frequency of the flicker your eye will not even register it. But if the cluster contains electronics it could be a big deal. This can be addressed by adding a polarity sensitive capacitor in proximity to the cluster. It will be able to maintain the voltage level needed for the cluster unit. |
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October 28th, 2019, 08:07 PM | #6 |
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Name: Jim
Location: North Carolina
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What's the battery voltage with everything on as usual, and you rev the engine to something like 3,000-4,000 rpm?
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October 31st, 2019, 03:25 PM | #7 | |
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Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
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Quote:
Thanks for your input!
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October 31st, 2019, 03:26 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
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It's around 13.84v at 4k (no headlights).
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October 31st, 2019, 03:30 PM | #9 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
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Final numbers & question
So with my battery charged up it measures:
12.54v with dual headlights on (and seems to run a bit rough) 13.90v with no headlights 13.89 with stock (single) headlight My questions is, does my charging system appear to be healthy? If so, I'll likely replace my dual headlight set-up with a single.
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October 31st, 2019, 04:11 PM | #10 |
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Name: AKA JacRyann
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Yeah, system doesn’t have much overhead in stock trim. Even with more efficient RR, stator’s output is still limited.
To reduce load, go to Philips X-treme Ultinon bulb. It’s only one designed to replace filament bulb in reflector assembly without causing glare into oncoming traffic’s eyes. |
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October 31st, 2019, 06:32 PM | #11 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
Join Date: Sep 2018 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: 272
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Quote:
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October 31st, 2019, 08:46 PM | #12 | |
ninjette.org member
Name: Sergey
Location: Ontario, GTA
Join Date: Oct 2019 Motorcycle(s): Ninja ZZR250 (EX250H) Posts: 213
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Quote:
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